


Steps

by Kerkerian



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Comfort_Fest_2018, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Moving In Together, Romance, Some Fluff, Steve McGarrett Needs a Hug, mcdanno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-02 02:02:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16296167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerkerian/pseuds/Kerkerian
Summary: Having Danny moving in with him is the beginning of something new. As it turns out however, Steve isn't prepared for all the changes it entails.





	Steps

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Five-0.

 

Steve should be looking at his laptop. He should be concerning himself with requisitions as their supply is going to run low soon if he doesn't, but his gaze keeps straying over to Danny. Has done so all morning, because his partner is all he can think of, really, since he's begun debating to ask him to move in. They've been together for half a year now, and if anything, it isn't enough. Steve wants to wake up with Danny every morning, wants them to have the same address, a life together. Danny is renting a nice house now, so Steve doesn't know what he'll say to that, but he's made a list of points in favour of Danny moving in with him just in case. They're mostly at Steve's place anyway, and the kids love the beach, so Steve is tentatively hopeful.

Making a list was only step two, really. Step one was to make the decision in the first place, obviously, but step three is the most difficult of all: telling Danny. Asking him. Maybe both. So far, Steve has come up with and subsequently dismissed several ideas already. It's probably best to cook something nice and have a quiet dinner with candles and wine; Danny'd never admit it but he loves the romantic stuff. So yeah, Steve will have to be patient and wait till Saturday. With a sideways glance, Steve makes sure nobody is watching him, then he finally turns his attention to his laptop, opens Word and begins to write a shopping list.

 

However, just a few hours later, it goes down like this: once everyone's recovered from the blast and dusted themselves off, once Steve has finally spotted Danny and made sure that he's okay, that he's alive and unharmed if maybe a little temporarily deaf because their raid ended in a spectacular explosion (which is just as well because everyone else is too), he pulls him into a bear hug, then looks at him: “Move in with me.”

Danny seems confused: “I'm sorry, what?”

“Move in with me!”

“You want me to move in with you?”

“Yes!”

And Danny, who at first thought he heard wrong, couldn't but love Steve just a little bit more right then, with his goofy grin and his whole endearing Steve-ness.

“Okay,” he rather feels than hears himself say because yeah, he is still quite deaf. “Okay, but can we talk about it later?” He waves his hand in the general direction of the now demolished building. “After we, you know, are done here?”

But they don't talk about it until the next morning because they came home so late they just stumbled up the stairs, took a shower and fell into bed, their ears still ringing a little.

On the following morning, Steve is the first to wake; to his relief, his hearing is back on track, therefore he just lies still and listens to Danny's quiet breathing, holding him close. Danny's breath is hot and humid against his skin because he sleeps half draped over his partner; Steve doesn't think he can live without this ever again. He closes his eyes, tightening his grip around Danny, and allows himself to drift off once more.

Later, the first thing Danny says to him is “You really want me to move in with you?”

Steve gently pulls him closer until Danny's entirely on top of him, nuzzling his nose with own: “I do. I want to start every day like this, Danno.”

Danny, who doesn't really look awake yet, smiles at him sleepily: “'tis nice,” he agrees.

Steve gently runs his fingers through his partner's hair: “It's the best,” he whispers, mentally eliminating the list (a.k.a. step two).

 

 

Step four turns out even more difficult than the previous three: clearing out stuff. He wants Grace and Charlie to have proper bedrooms, after all, and the third, technically spare room is full of boxes and everything Steve didn't know where else to put. Since Danny also has stuff, however, and since they will be needing space for his wardrobe, among other things, now seems a good time to tackle it. At least Steve thinks so until he is standing in the door to the room and can't seem to make himself go in there. Danny has offered to help him, of course, but Steve said it was something he had to do alone, and he was convinced of it until now.

This was his father's bedroom, and since his death, Steve hasn't changed anything in or removed any of his personal belongings from it, just occasionally put another few boxes in there and quickly closed the door again. Even Mary hasn't once broached the subject of maybe packing up John's clothes, and neither did their mom. So it's down to Steve, here and now, and though he's determined to regard it as a step towards a future he wants, hell, he _craves_ , it's still tremendous.

At first, it isn't even too bad, once he's finally in the room.

He makes different heaps of what to throw out, what to give to charity and what to keep. He's glad that Doris took care of her own things during the brief period she was living in Hawaii again, because there's still a lot of stuff. He looks through his own first, then Mary's, which requires a few phone calls, sending pictures and one heated but short argument.

By late afternoon, he's exhausted, but he's making progress. He is considering calling it a day when his gaze lands on his father's wardrobe. It's what he's been dreading, what he thought he'd do last, but now he feels strangely drawn towards it. Slowly, he opens one door, then the other: it's all there, all his shirts, jackets, his uniforms. Steve leans forward, catching a whiff of what he thinks is his dad's cologne, or maybe he's imagining it. He steps closer, and closer, until his face is nearly touching fabric. Closes his eyes. And feels his heart breaking all over again.

He doesn't realize he's on the floor, or that he's crying, until he feels hands on his arms, on his neck, until he's being pulled into Danny's arms. He doesn't need to open his eyes to know it's him, just sags into the embrace, into Danny's solid warmth, and allows the pain of his loss to wash over him. He has managed to not think about it for too long, and it takes him a while until he's finally calming down. Danny, who has been murmuring soft reassurances into his hair, falls silent, but keeps rocking him ever so slightly, and Steve feels safe and secure in his partner's arms. He burrows into this stronghold, stays motionless until he's stopped trembling.

When he eventually pulls back somewhat and looks up, his eyes are burning, and Danny appears a little heartbroken as well.

“Sorry,” Steve mutters.

“What for?” Danny regards him as he raises one hand and runs it through Steve's hair. “This was always going to be tough, wasn't it?”

“Yeah.” Steve averts his eyes, but he does turn his face into the palm of Danny's hand.

They are quiet for a moment, then Steve takes a shuddering breath: “What are you doing here, Danno?”

“Just wanted to look in on you. And I brought dinner. Well, it's not cooked yet, but eventually it's gonna be dinner.”

Steve nods, forcing himself to smile at his partner: “Sounds good.” With another deep breath, he takes Danny's hand and holds it tightly for a moment: “I'm glad you're here.”

Danny returns the smile: “Ditto.”

Grateful for his partner's calm sympathy, Steve squeezes his hand.

“Babe?” Danny then says, sounding unusually tentative. “Why don't you just... leave the wardrobe as it is?”

Steve lifts his head and looks at it. And feels a sudden rush of relief: “I suppose I could... if you don't mind.”

“'Course I don't mind.”

“Don't we need the space?”

“I think we'll be fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. And I've told you- just because we're moving in together, you don't have to throw out everything.”

“I know. I thought it's a fresh start. But... you're right. I can't. Not yet.” To Steve's annoyance, his eyes are brimming once more.

Danny cups his face with both hands, wiping the wetness underneath his eyes away with his thumbs and kisses him: “I love you,” he murmurs. “Come on. I know what we're going to do before dinner.”

 

Half an hour later, Danny parks the Camaro at the National Memorial Cemetery: “Go talk to him,” he says. “Tell him about today, maybe.”

Steve is so deeply moved that he can't speak; he just nods at his partner and gets out of the car.

Once he's reached his dad's grave, he just stares down at the headstone for a long moment, then he lowers himself onto the lawn and sits quietly for a while.

“Hi, Dad,” he says when he thinks he's got his voice under control again. “I haven't been here for a while. Been busy with the job... and now Danny and I have decided to move in together. Well, I've asked him to move in with me, to be precise.” He pauses.

“I wish you could have met him, Dad. He's often cranky and he complains a lot, yes, but... he's so lovely. He always has my back.

"I was clearing out some stuff today... you know, to make room for him and the kids. I told you about Charlie and Grace.

"But I couldn't pack up your clothes, Dad. It's like... it felt like I was kicking you out of the house.” He wipes his eyes: “Sounds crazy, I know.

"So I couldn't do it. But then Danny came by and he told me I didn't have to. And you know what... I won't. Not yet. Maybe one day...” He wipes his eyes again, takes another deep breath: “I miss you, Dad. Even if I don't drop by so frequently.”

Resting his cheek on his knees, he runs his fingers over the stone, traces the letters of his father's name. Wishes he was here.

 

After another few minutes, he slowly gets to his feet and walks back to the car, to the one person who is always there for him.

“Thank you, Danno,” he says softly. “This was a good idea.”

Danny smiles at him just so with the corners of his mouth and inclines his head: “Glad to hear it.”

 

Back at the house, Steve goes to take a shower while Danny busies himself in the kitchen. When Steve comes in some time later, it's already smelling fantastic. Steve sniffs the air: “Hmm... are you making Chili?”

“Yes... since you kept talking about it all week.”

Steve grins, hugging Danny, who's stirring the contents of the pan, from behind and pressing a kiss on his neck: “You're my favourite person in the world,” he mutters into the warm skin. He can feel Danny chuckle at that: “Keep that in mind. I have no idea how hot it's gonna be. May have used a bit too much chili, incidentally.”

Steve closes his eyes and tightens his grip: “Don't care.”

Step five (even if Danny hasn't officially moved in yet): being at home with the man he loves.

 

The Chili, like everything else Danny cooks, is delicious.

They eat out on the lanai; later, they retreat to the couch in the living room and watch a football game Steve recorded earlier.

When he turns the TV off around midnight, Danny has fallen asleep, nestled against him. Steve nuzzles his temple: “Danno?”

“Hm? 's over?”

“Yeah. Wanna go to bed?”

“Jus' a minute...”

Steve gently caresses his cheek: “You'll just doze off again.”

Danny sighs: “Yeah... you're right...”

Squinting, he scrambles to his feet; Steve quickly steadies him. Then, on a whim, he pulls him close: “I love you, Danno,” he says softly. “You're... I couldn't do it without you.”

“Do what?”

“Everything.”

“Nah, now you're exaggerating.” Danny blinks up at him, smiling sleepily: “You're pretty awesome all by yourself. Except when you're dangling people off roofs etcetera.”

Steve can't but smile: “See? You always believe in me.”

“I knew it. You're secretly watching soap operas, and now you're beginning to sound just like them.”

Steve snorts: “No, I don't. I'm just appreciating the wonderful guy I'm with.”

“Goof,” Danny replies, failing to sound as grumpy as he intended.

“So... Thank you for today,” Steve now says, a little more sober.

“It's what I'm here for, right?” Danny mutters, his ears going a little pink.

Steve pretends to ponder this: “Among other things,” he concedes, smiling at Danny's huff.

“I'll show you other things.” Danny cups Steve's neck with his hand: “Come down here, will you?”

Steve happily complies.

 

 

The End

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm not a Native Speaker, therefore I apologize for any mistakes.


End file.
